Device for treating infants with light

ABSTRACT

A device for providing light, preferably UV light to infants and/or children. The device comprises a housing, inside the housing are one or more light sources adapted to emit light at a therapeutic wavelength or wavelengths. A series of apertures in the housing are adapted to align a plurality of light guides with the light source(s). The light guides conduct light to the patient. The light guides are preferably attached to a light guide holding element. The holding element is preferably a panel which is adjustably placed above the patient. The light guides can either provide light directly to the patient or the panel can be the light providing surface.

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No.10/926209 filed Aug. 25, 2004 that claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/503,678 filed Sep. 17, 2003.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for treating infants withlight at one or more therapeutic wavelengths.

2. Background of the Prior Art

Ultraviolet (UV) light can be used to treat a multitude of medicalproblems, including for example bacterial, viral and fungal infections,poisoning, fatigue, Alzheimer's disease, allergies and asthma, rheumaticdiseases and arthritis, diabetes, hepatitis, and cancer. UV lightsterilizes the blood and acts as an antibiotic.

The UV light is applied either to the patient's skin or directly to theblood. If the UV light is applied to the skin it is typically providedto the patient's skin either with a wrap or lamp.

UV light is commonly used to treat jaundiced babies. Because infant'sskin is thin and the blood vessels are close to the surface, UV light istypical applied to the skin when treating jaundiced babies.

Applying the UV light directly to a patient's blood supply is known asphotoluminescence or UV blood illumination (UBI). UV blood illuminationincreases oxygen, destroys toxins and boosts the immune system.

In prior art UBI, a small amount of blood is drawn from the patient, upto about 250 cc. The body has about 5.6 L of blood. The blood that isdrawn travels through a cuvette or glass chamber. The blood isrepeatedly illuminated with UV light and then returned to the body. Theprocess is repeated, typically a day or several days later. Thesetreatments are time consuming, and require regular trips to a medicalfacility. In addition, trained personal must be available to provide thetreatments.

There is a need for a method of providing UV light to a patient's entireblood supply, not just a small portion of it. There is a need for asystem that is convenient for the patient, which does not requireregular doctor visits. There is a need for a simple system that can beused by the patient in his home.

There is a need for a system that allows for round the clock treatmentsor other regular treatments such as pulsed treatment or automaticperiodic treatments.

There is a need for a blood illuminator that reduces the risk ofinfection from removing blood. There is a need for a system that reducesthe number of needle sticks a patient must endure.

There is a need for a system that allows the blood to be treated on anas needed basis, such as based on how the patient is feeling at aparticular time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a device for providing light, preferably UV light toinfants and/or children with hepatitis. The device comprises a housing,inside the housing are one or more light sources adapted to emit lightat a therapeutic wavelength or wavelengths. The device has an on e offswitch. A series of apertures in the housing are adapted to connect aplurality of light guides with the light source(s). The light guidesconduct light to the baby or patient. The light guides are preferablyattached to a light guide holding element. The holding element ispreferably a panel which is slidably held in place above the patient.The light guides can either provide light directly to the patient or thepanel can be the light providing surface. The panel may be a light guideto evenly spread the light along a bottom surface or it may have adiffuse panel to reduce the amount of light on the skin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is treatment lamp ; and

FIG. 2 is a patient being treated with the treatment lamp.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Light at a therapeutic wavelength or wavelengths is used to treat manydiseases including infections, poisoning, fatigue, allergies, hepatitis,cancer and HIV. UV light increases the oxygen combining power of theblood, destroys toxins, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and boosts the immunesystem. UV light also sterilizes the blood and acts as an antibiotic.Preferably, UV light at a therapeutic wavelength(s) is used. Morepreferably the light is either UV-A or UV-C light is utilized in thepresent invention. For some conditions and/or diseases UV-A light ismore effective than UV-C and for other conditions and/or diseases UV-Clight is more effective than UV-A light. The wavelengths or wavelengthsof light to be used to treat the patient are selected based on thewavelength or wavelength that will best treat the condition or diseaseof the patient. For example, UV-C light is preferred for treatinghepatitis while UV-A is more effective for cancer.

The invention is a device 10 for providing light at a therapeuticwavelength to infants and/or children 50 with hepatitis or otherconditions or diseases. Preferably, the therapeutic wavelength is one ormore UV wavelengths. More preferably, the therapeutic wavelengths isUV-A light, UVOC light or a combination thereof.

The treatment device 10 comprises a housing 30, inside the housing areone or more light sources adapted to emit light at a therapeuticwavelength or wavelengths. The device has an manual on/off switch 12 andan emergency disconnect.

A series of apertures 40 in the housing 30 are adapted to align aplurality of light guides 28 with the light source(s). The light guides28 pass through a rubber gasket 42 at the aperture 40 and align with alight source such as a medical grade UV bulb or LED. The light guides 28conduct light to the baby or patient 50. Light guides 28 are preferablyattached to a light guide holding element 20. Holding element 20 ispreferably a panel 26 which is slidably held in place above the patient50. The light guides 28 can either provide light directly to the patient10 or the panel 26 can be the light providing surface. In oneembodiment, a series of apertures 44 in the light guide holding element20 align the light guides 28 over the patient 50. Preferably, the lightguides 28 are arranged in a symmetrical manner to evenly spread thelight over the patient 50. The light guides may pass through rubbergaskets 46 in the holding element 20. The rubber gaskets 44 adapted tomaintain the alignment of the light guides. 28 Alternatively, lightguides 28 may be aligned in a pattern or asymmetrical shape. Forexample, the light guides 28 may be arranged focus more of the light ina particular area of the patient's body 50 such as the core. In anotheralternative, the panel 26 may be a light guide to evenly spread thelight along a bottom surface or it may have a diffuse bottom surface toreduce the amount of light on the patient's 50 skin.

Holding element 20 is used to ensure uniform radiation of the patient 50without providing too much light which may burn or damage the skin. Thelight is filtered through the light guides 28 so that its power isdiluted by the time it irradiates the patient 50. There is a balancebetween providing light strong enough to improve the condition, diseaseor symptoms of the patient and weak enough so as to not burn or harm thepatient.

The light source(s) emit radiation at one or more therapeuticwavelength. The light sources may be medical grade UV light, LED orother light sources. The light sources preferably emit UV-C or UV-Alight or combinations thereof.

The housing 30 is preferably mounted on a hospital pole 18. The pole maybe a stationary pole or optionally have wheels on its base 19 allowingit to be moved easily. Holding element 20 is adjustable mounted to thepole 18. Preferably, holding element 20 is adjustable in at least twodirections, up and down to adjust the distance of the holding element 20above the patient 50 and forward and backward so that holding element 20is be aligned directly over the patient 50. Holding element 201 may alsobe adjustable left and right by pivoting or swiveling it.

Patient 50 can be treated by aligning the holding element 20 over thepatient and turning on the light source whenever a treatment is needed.Alternatively, the panel can remain over the patient's bed and be turnedon and off manually or a controller could automatically turn off thelight source after a set treatment time, such as 20 minutes. Thecontroller, such as a computer or other smart interface, can be adaptedto limit the number of treatments given time period, limits the totalamount of treatment time in a given time period, automatically providestreatments, pulse the light source, or provides only particularwavelengths. The computer or other smart interface could keep atreatment record. The computer or other smart interface couldcommunicate wirelessly, via the Internet or through other electronicmeans to automatically update the doctor's treatment records. Computerpreferably can automatically adjust treatment time, wavelength or otherfactors based on patient input, doctor orders or other data.

1. An irradiation device comprising: a housing having a plurality ofapertures; a light source in the housing, said light source emitting oneor more therapeutic wavelengths, and a plurality of light guides, afirst end of each said light guide connected one of said apertures andaligned with the light source and a second end adapted of each lightguide connected to a holding panel; the adjustable holding panel.
 2. Theirradiation device of claim 1 wherein the housing and the holding panelare mounted on a hospital pole.
 3. The irradiation device of claim 1wherein the light source emits UV radiation.
 4. The irradiation deviceof claim 3 wherein the light source emits UV-C radiation, UC-A radiationor combinations thereof.
 5. The irradiation device of claim 3 whereinthe light source comprises at a plurality of LEDs, each LED aligned witha light guide.
 6. The irradiation device of claim 3 wherein the lightsource is a medical grade UV light bulb.
 7. The irradiation device ofclaim 1 further comprising a plurality of alignment apertures in theholding element, wherein each said second end of the light guides isaligned with an alignment aperture.
 8. The irradiation device of claim 1wherein the bottom of the holding element is a light guide to provideconsistent illumination over the patient.
 9. The irradiation device ofclaim 1 wherein the light guide is a liquid core light guide.
 10. Theblood illuminator of claim 9 wherein the light source emits UV radiationat one or more therapeutic wavelength.
 11. The blood illuminator ofclaim 10 wherein the UV radiation is UV-A radiation, UV-C radiation orcombinations thereof.
 12. The irradiation device of claim 7 wherein thesecond ends of the light guides are transparent.
 13. The irradiationdevice of claim 1 further comprising a controller.
 14. The irradiationdevice of claim 14 wherein the controller is an on/off switch.
 15. Theirradiation device of claim 14 wherein the controller automaticallycontrols the light source.
 16. The irradiation device of claim 14wherein the controller automatically controls the light source bypulsing the light, by automatically shutting off the light after aspecified period of time, by automatically activating the light sourceat a specified time or by combinations thereof.
 17. The irradiationdevice of claim 14 wherein the controller is a computer.
 18. Theirradiation device of claim 14 wherein the computer is adapted tomaintain and/or transmit treatment records.
 19. An irradiation systemcomprising: an irradiation device and a patient, said irradiation devicecomprising: a housing, a light source adapted to emit radiation at oneor more therapeutic wavelengths, said light source in said housing and aplurality of light guides, a first end of said light guides aligned withthe light source and a second end connected to a holding element forirradiating the patient.
 20. The irradiation system of claim 19 whereinthe housing and the holding panel are mounted on a hospital pole. 21.The irradiation system of claim 19 wherein the light source emits UVradiation.
 22. The irradiation system of claim 21 wherein the lightsource emits UV-C radiation, UC-A radiation or combinations thereof. 23.The irradiation system of claim 21 wherein the light source comprises aplurality of LEDs, each said LED aligned with one of the light guide.24. The irradiation system of claim 21 wherein the light source is amedical grade UV light bulb.
 25. The irradiation system of claim 19wherein the irradiation device further comprises a plurality ofalignment apertures in the holding element, wherein each said second endof the light guides is aligned with an alignment aperture.
 26. Theirradiation system of claim 19 wherein a bottom surface of the holdingelement is a light guide to provide consistent illumination over thepatient.
 27. The irradiation system of claim 19 wherein the light guideis a liquid core light guide.
 28. The irradiation system of claim 25wherein the second ends of the light guides are transparent.
 29. Theirradiation system of claim 19 wherein the irradiation device furthercomprising a controller.
 30. The irradiation system of claim 29 whereinthe controller is an on/off switch.
 31. The irradiation system of claim29 wherein the controller automatically controls the light source. 32.The irradiation system of claim 29 wherein the controller automaticallycontrols the light source by pulsing the light, by automaticallyshutting off the light after a specified period of time, byautomatically activating the light source at a specified time or bycombinations thereof.
 33. The irradiation system of claim 29 wherein thecontroller is a computer.
 34. The irradiation system of claim 33 whereinthe computer is adapted to maintain and/or transmit treatment records.35. A method of treating a patient comprising the steps of aligning anirradiation device over a patient, and irradiating the patient with oneor more therapeutic wavelengths of light for a period of time, whereinthe irradiation device comprises: a housing having a plurality ofapertures; a light source in the housing, said light source emitting oneor more therapeutic wavelengths, and a plurality of light guides, afirst end of each said light guide connected one of said apertures andaligned with the light source and a second end adapted of each lightguide connected to a holding panel; and the adjustable holding panel.36. The method of claim 35 wherein the patient is irradiated with UVradiation.
 37. The method of claim 36 wherein the patient is irradiatedwith UV-C radiation, UC-A radiation or combinations thereof.
 38. Themethod of claim 35 wherein the irradiation device is aligned over thepatient by adjusting the holding element up and/or down, left and/orright and/or forward and/or backward.
 39. The method of claim 35 furthercomprising the steps of automatically turning the light on and off. 40.The method of claim 35 further comprising the steps of automaticallyrecording treatment data.
 41. The method of claim 40 further comprisingthe step of automatically providing the treatment data to a doctor. 42.The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of automaticallyadjusting the period which the light source is emitting radiation.